Football

Joselu: "I would give the Ballon d'Or to Carvajal"

Former Real Madrid forward Joselu, now playing for Qatar's Al-Gharafa, has explained why Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal deserves to win the Ballon d'Or.

"I would give the Ballon d'Or to Carvajal. We're talking about a player who featured in every tournament last year, winning the same club titles as Vinicius, whom I highly value and love as a teammate. However, I believe Dani ended the season as the best player in the Champions League final and made a significant contribution to Spain's victory at the European Championship."

"In the end, defenders often don't get the recognition they deserve, as the spotlight usually falls on those who score goals or provide assists. Yet, we've seen Dani as a scorer, scoring goals and providing assists, and playing incredible matches."

"He's a serious contender for the win because we've long not seen such performances from defenders, and the titles he won last year would justify awarding him the Ballon d'Or."

"It's not that Spanish football is owed something after the Euro win; it's that the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi era in the Ballon d'Or race has ended. We've seen Benzema and Modric achieve this accolade, but it's clear that in terms of defenders, we need to take a step forward because Dani has done what others couldn't. That's why, for me, he is a candidate to win," Joselu told Mundo Deportivo.

Last season, Dani Carvajal scored six goals and provided five assists in 41 matches for Real Madrid across all competitions, helping Los Blancos win the Spanish league and the Champions League. With the Spanish national team, the 32-year-old defender won the Euro 2024 Championship, scoring once in five tournament matches.

The Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place on October 28, and Carvajal has been shortlisted for the award.